


Nineteen Days

by orphan_account



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2013-06-20
Packaged: 2017-12-15 14:14:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/850494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"No matter how many times he visited Michael in that hospital room, no matter how many times he watched Michael’s eyes, hoping to see a flicker of movement, Gavin couldn’t trick himself anymore. Michael wasn’t going to wake up."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nineteen Days

It was never the idea that a boundary had been crossed between them, simple and clean, leaving the realization to wash over them in a cold flood. Because that boundary never existed with them. It just hadn’t. It was the idea that there had come a moment between them that had solidified what had already been there. Whether by fate, or design, or pure impulse, Gavin had pulled Michael in going home one day. Messy and careless, pressing persistent kisses against Michael so desperately – and Michael had finally returned them. It was the idea that everything had flowed so easily and felt so natural with the two of them. And even if the tie between friendship had been cut and replaced with that of a lover, it was never a sudden change. It had just meant to happen. They’d both agreed to that.

What they hadn’t agreed to, however, was Michael leaving Gavin on his own so soon. Not by choice or argument, but by some sick twist of luck. What had started out as an insignificant cough and lethargy, had led to both their worlds crashing around them, leaving Gavin stranded.

Whether it was more than a few days off from work.

“Sorry, Geoff. I’ll be better in a few days, hopefully.”

Or more than a few missed phone calls.

“Michael? It’s Gavin. Give me a message when you can.”

And then one worried voice echoing through Gavin’s mobile one Thursday evening.

“Hello? Is that Mr. Free? I’m afraid we have some bad news. A colleague of yours has been admitted into hospital this afternoon and…”

And then Gavin had been left. Struggling to keep his sanity together, never mind his optimism, as Michael lay in a hospital bed. Settled on those white sheets, cold and near life-less, for the tenth day in a row.

Gavin turned the television off in Michael’s apartment that night and didn't know what to do anymore. He felt utterly lost and hopeless. The professionals attending to Michael had made it clear the situation was delicate, and definitely not in favour of Michael even making it.

The Brit found his throat tightening and breathing coming undone at the thought. Battling, so feebly, against his body’s judgement to at least hold this impression of sanity together. Even if it was just for some hollow and breaking performance of strength for Michael, even if the apartment being so empty and cold without him there. Despite the fact that Michael had left Gavin shuddering and staring into the darkness without a single glimmer of hope left in those green eyes, he couldn't let himself completely let go, if only for Michael. Gavin couldn't bear to move himself and curled up on the sofa as he had done for the tenth day in a row – wrapped up in one of Michael’s jackets with only one thing plaguing his mind. He did not sleep.

As the days progressed, the Brit stopped trying to be the only thread of support between everyone around him on his fourteenth visit to the hospital. There came a point when even Gavin’s façade couldn’t handle the weight crushing it. As much as he wanted to, Gavin couldn't face anyone else's fears but his own anymore. He stopped telling people Michael would be alright when asked that painfully pressing question. Because Gavin had nearly stopped believing the answer everyone wanted to hear himself. He had no energy to lie anymore.

As he sat by Michael’s bedside, the artificial drone of oxygen being released methodically into Michael’s lungs, Gavin let his head rest on crossed arms, right beside his partner’s cold arm. Eyes unfocused and distant as they attempted to concentrate on the rise and fall of Michael’s lungs, he felt his whole body weighted with grief at each shrill noise Michael’s monitor made. He didn’t even stir when Geoff shuffled in his seat, asking that same question once again. Gavin felt his chest ache, almost physically hurting no matter how much he knew it was far from that. Geoff flinched when Gavin replied, his voice a corpse of its former hopefulness.

“I don’t know anymore, Geoff.”

Gavin could feel Michael slipping from his reach with every passing day and was left without a single defence to stop it. With every encouragement that things could get better, yet being told that no improvements had been made in his condition, Gavin’s thoughts began to drift to one thing he’d never thought he’d have to face at his age. No matter how many times he visited Michael in that hospital room, no matter how many times he watched Michael’s eyes, hoping to see a flicker of movement, Gavin couldn’t trick himself anymore. Michael wasn’t going to wake up. Even when Gavin had visited on the sixteenth day of Michael’s admission and whispered a detached “I miss you so much, Michael.” There had been no change.

It was on the nineteenth day of Michael’s black out when Gavin received an almost nostalgic phone call at ten in the evening. Gavin could have easily missed it, finding no vigour within his sullen frame to head for his mobile. But when a surprisingly cold draught washed over his arm, he found the energy to move groggily, even if it was mainly to pick up one of Michael’s jackets. Rubbing over his tired eyes gently and sighing, he stared at the unknown set of numbers on his screen, finding a sickening remembrance of the caller, and answered hesitantly.

“Hello? Is that Mr. Free? I’m afraid we have some bad news.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you would like to reblog or like this fic on tumblr:
> 
> http://teaandotherstuff.tumblr.com/post/41646785139/nineteen-days


End file.
